Since 2006, Rev. Turner Johnson has been determined to transform Highland Park – one of the poorest, most drug-afflicted cities in Michigan – into a safe and prosperous community. In 1986, Rev. Turner Johnson partnered with a holistic community development corporation and acquired and renovated forty homes, previously rented by drug dealers, which surrounded her church.
Rev. Turner Johnson acquired a builder’s license for this project, which allowed men from her church to renovate the homes, which were then sold to church members in need of affordable housing, particularly when banks were not providing mortgage financing for the neighborhood. Through this opportunity, she also inspired church members to obtain their building licenses.
In 2009, when Rev. Johnson became the volunteer leader of B.A.S.S., she managed to sustain the organization with smaller grants and the business incubator’s income but sought a path to long-term sustainability:
“Now that building, called The Connector, will link entrepreneurs and residents to resources and technology to help them solve prevalent community issues. It will be a place to gain life skills, pursue higher education, support small business formation, and access resources to support their vision for the future.”